Key action for typewriting and other key-operating machines



O. U. DESHA Jill 30 1929.-

KEY ACTION FOR TYPEWRITING AND OTHER KEY OPERATING MACHINES 2 Sheets-Sheet Filed March 24, 1927 III I 1/ I'lIIIIlIllIl/II July 30, 1925). o. u. DESHA 1,722,956

KEY ACTION FQR TYPEWRITING AND OTHER KEY OPERATING MACHINES Filed March 24, 192"! 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented July 30, 1929.

UNITED STATES ORVILLE U. DESHA, OF FORT COLLINS, COLORADO, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-FIFTH TO THE DESHA TYPELEX TRUST ESTATE, OF FORT COLLINS, COLORADO.

KEY ACTION FOR TYPEIVRITING AND OTHER KEY-OPERATING MACHINES.

Application filed March 24, 1327. Serial No. 178,087.

My invention relates to key-action for typewriters and other type bar and key operating machines, actuated means at all times operatively connecting the type bar and key lever, moving the type bar to printing point upon the depression of a key lever and means reversely breaking the said connection after the printing impact of the type bar for the return of the type bar to normal position while the key lever is in depressed position; this broad object being the subject'matter of an application filed by me on November th, 1923, Serial No. 672,871, upon which issued Patent 1,643,203, September 20, 1927 as a contradistinction between previous devices comprising a detachable connection or, gap at some point between the key lever and type bar after the latter has been given the movement necessary to effect the printing and before the key lever has completed its movement.

A specific object of the present invention is to provide means of the character specified above which in the main is in the nature of another form of structure that may readily be incorporated in certain typewriting machines requiring only slight modification of structural features of said machines as they now exist. I. have shown my invention embodied, in the present instance, in a typewriter similar to the L. G. Smith Brothers standard machine, and in which the invention may'readily be incorporated by slight modification of structural features of the machine in effecting such incorporation. It should be understood, however, that the invention is not restricted to use in a machine of this type, but may be employed wherever found available.

The desired principle of operation, new mechanical functions, operative expedients, and other objects and advantages will, here inafter be described in the following disclosure, and will. be more particularly pointed out in the appending claims. In the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference characters indicatecorresponding parts in the various views. I V

In the drawings Figure I is a vertical section of a typewriting machine, one key-action only being shown in normalposition Fig. II represents a view of the key mechanism similar to Fig. I, the key lever being shown in a depressed position and actuating the type bar. III, also is a key mechanism similar to Fig. I, the key lever being shown in a depressed positionand the type bar returned to its initial position. Fig. IV is a skeleton view of the key mechanism for illustrative purposes in describing the mode of operation of machine shown. It is understood, of course, that for the sake of clearness and to avoid complication of drawings the applicant has omitted to show or describe the remainder of key levers and type bars as well as other devices necessary or advisable in the complete machine. I

In the embodiment in Fig. I, 1 indicates the frame of the typewriter, 1 indicates the front and 1 the rear, having a common power driven paper carriage, the principal parts of the carriage not being shown'in the drawing; 5 indicates the common platen carriedby paper carriage; 6 indicates one of the usual type bars carrying type 7 at its front end, and having an eccentric pivot 9 at the heel of rear end, and is arranged to turn on pivot 9 in the form of a segment basket disposed vertically above the frame 10; and 10 Fig. I indicating part of the basket frame subjecting the type bar 6 to basket shift, thereby providing the type 7 with a common printing point A, as the type bar 6 turns on pivot 9 from the normal horizontal position of rest on the segment 11; 12 indicates one of the key levers carrying at the front end finger key 13, the rear end pivoted at 14 to bar 14 in the rear of the machine, and is kept normally in its elevated position by return spring 15 supported by bar 15, at normal rest the key lever bearing against the under side of stop bar 15 above the front part of the key lever 12, in the usual manner.

Key lever 12 is formed with an upward angular projection 16, and also provides a saddle-backed seat 17 for the reversely breaking actuating coupling hereinafter described.

The key lever 12 is described as having two incidents of operation; namely, the incident of depression and incident of release. The incident of depression is disclosed by the downward movement of key lever 12 from radius B to radius G, and the incident of release is disclosed by the upward movement of key lever 12 back from radius C to radius B. The type bar 6 is described as having two incidents of operation, namely, the incident of response and the incident of recoil. The incident of response of type bar 6 is disclosed by the movement of the type bar from its initial rest radius E to printing point A, indicated by radius F, forming arc G from pivot 9. The incident of recoil being the subject matter of this of type bar 6 is disclosed by its movement from its printing point A back to normal rest E. These incidents of operation are, of course, present in previous nonreversely breaking type bar actions in so far as the incident of response E to A of the type bar 6 occurs simultaneously with the incident of depression B to C of key lever12, and the incident of recoil, A to E, of the type bar occurs simultaneously with the incident of release C to B, of the key lever, but my invention relates to a later correlation of incidents of operation of the key levers with that of the type bar in conforming to the reversely breaking action by which both the incident of response, E to A, of the type bar 4 and incident of recoil, A to E, occur during the one incident of the key lever.

In this case, a novel form of reversely breaking actuating coupling peculiarly arlever and a vibradepression, B to C, of

and arrangement of said reversely breaking actuating coupling application, hereinafter described.

18 indicates one of a series of vibratory levers disposed upwardly corresponding in number with type bars 6 and key levers 12. Intermediately their ends, the vibratory links 18 are pivoted at 19 in a bar 20 extending v across the machine, and each at its upper end is pivoted at21 as usual to a backward pull link 21 which engages the type bar at pivot 22 is a forward draw link curved downwardly extending forward of pivot 25, horizontally disposed at the sideof the key lever actuated forwardlyuiider expansive tension, and operatively connected intermediately of its ends to the vibratory link. And 23 is a forward thrust link extending forward from jlink 22 is pivoted at 55 V 23 being pivoted at '26 pivot 26 normally operating under contrac tive tension actuating forward thrust. and

operatively connecting the draw link and key lev 1', said draw link and thrust link 23 constituting the reversely breaking actuating coupling, which by way of connecting lever 18 and backward pull link 21 at all times operatively connect the type bar and key lever. The draw link 22 is pivoted at 25 to the lower ends of the vihratorylink 18, and the front end of the downward. curved draw 7 24to the front end of the thrust link 23, the rear end of the thrust link to the upward angular projection 16 of the key lever 12. V

v The relative normal positions of pivots 2% and 25 are engaged in a line nearly horizontalwith the key lever 12 as shown by broken line J J Fig. IV, disclosing the reverscly breaking actuating coupling to be horizontally disposed. as distinguished from being -eiigaged perpendicular to the key lever. It will be observed that draw link 22 is disprojecting end 27 of the draw link 22;

may cooperate with the saddle-backed seat I 17 on top of key lever 12, and

levers for compactness. Also it will be noted that the thrust link 23 operates in front of the upward pro ection of the key lever dis 7 closing a forward thrust.

Instead of depending solely upon the agency of gravity for the recoil of the type bar, a return spring 27 may be employed. The front end of return spring 2? the hole 27 in the rear end of the trip- 27 which is pivoted at 27 to the rearv: o

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rear end of return spring 27 engages the hole 27 in the cross bar 30, in the rear of the ma cliine.

t with rear edge of the vibratory link 18, hence the vibratory link 18 and the draw link as a fulcrum to trip the front end thrust link 23 out of the saddled 17 about the time the t printing point A breakin pling while the key lever position. The lower edge A 27" communicates at 1.. Fig. l with the per edge of the key lever 12 retu ning s coupling to normal operative posi on upon c; release of the key lever.

23 is an extended nose of the thrust link 23 The lateral angle 16 of the upward angular projection 16 of key lever i that the under edge 3 of the th;

t ice the upper edge 23 cooperates with the under side 20* of the return bar 20 returning said coupling to normal operative position during the inci- 1G5 dent of release of the key lever.

The mechanical movements and operation thereof are important factors in providing the function of the key action. A further description of the operative principles therefore follows: The geometric circle H H Fig. IV, w th a horizontal diaiiietrical line 5 J.

from the forward border pivot 24 to back ward border pivot- 25 circumscribes what is termed the actuating plane. The horizontal dianietrical line J J crossing the actuating plane, from the forward border pivot 24 to the backward border pivot 25 indicates the divert tension line dividing the actuating plane into an upper zone of response K and a lower zone of reaction L; the upper zone of response K having to do with the response of the type bar 6 from radius E to radius F as the key lever 12 is being depressed from radius to radius D; and the lower zone of reaction L having to do with the recoil of the type bar 6 from the printing point A to radius E at rest as the key lever 12 is being continually depressed from radius D to radius idle position of the draw link 22 operates in the lower zone of reaction L as shown in Figures I, II, III, IV, and thrust link 23 operates within the forward radius of the actuating plane.

It is necessary that the forward draw link 22 and thrust link 23 be relatively major and minor in length, and link 23 be in such form and so engaged in hinge-fold fashion so as to permit the interior pivot 26 to oscillate between the forward border pivot 24 and backward border pivot 25 in crossing and recrossing the horizontal divert tension line J J. In this case, the elements 22 and 23 of the reversely breaking actuating coupling are unfolded during the incident of depression from radius B to radius D of the key lever 12 and simultaneously with the incident of response of the type bar 6 .from radius E to printing point A; and the elements 22 and 23 are folded during the remainder of depression, radius D to radius 0 of key lever 12 simultaneously with the recoil of the type bar 6 from printing point A back to radius E.

The saddle-backed seat 17 provided bythe key lever 12 stops the forward border pivot 24 and effects responsive tension lock of thrust link 23 under influence of return spring 27 as the key lever 12 is being depressed from radius B to radius D. This tension lock of thrust link 23 is also described as contract-ive tension lock meaning that while the key lever 12 is being depressed, the energy required to respond the type bar 6 effectscontractive' pressure or thrust from the interior pivot 26 to the forward border pivot 24 instead of expansive tension or pull. The contractive tension of thrust link 23 stops its oscillation and is moved bodily edgewise downward with the key lever 12, as shown in Fig. II, until the interior pivot 26 crosses the horizontal divert tension line J J into the zone of reaction L within the upward concavity of the draw link 22. Simultaneously with contractive tension lock of thrust link 23, draw link 22 operates under expansive tension between the forward border pivot 24 and the backward border pivot 25 while the key lever 12 is being depressed fromradius B to radius D to respond the type bar 6 from radius E to printing point A, and the expansive tension of link 22 being relaxed while the key lever continues the incident of depression from radius D to radius C and simultaneously with the recoil of the type bar 6 from the printing point A back to radius of rest E.

A change in relative positions of the forward border pivot 24 and the backward border pivot 25 brings the interior pivot 26 down within the lower zone of reaction L within the upward concavity of the draw link 22 thereby releasing the contractive tension lock of thrust link 23.

The release of contractive tension-lock of thrust link 23 permits it to resume oscillation upwardly reversely breaking the coupling about the time the type impacts the printing point A. hen said coupling reversely breaks in the above manner there I shows where the t-ri-pivotal relationship ofpivots 24, 25 and 26 forms obtuse angle at the interior pivot 26 pointing upward within the upper zone of response during the normal position and effecting response of the type bar during the depression of the key lever 12. Dotted line M M Fig. II shows about a 45 alignment of the border pivots 24 and 25 and the interior pivot 26 at the time the type bar completes its response or impact and begins to recoil. Dotted line M M Fig. III shows an obtuse angle at the interior pivot 26 formed by the tri-pivotal relationship pointing downward within the zone of reaction L asthe type bar 6 recoils.

Inherent to the nonreversely breaking key action, whenever certain keys are accidentally and slightly depressed part way down they suspend their respective type bars along the type are Gr interfering with the response and recoil of intentionally struck keys, but the present invention provides the exigency that when the finger key 13 is slowly depressed, the type bar 6 responds to the degree on are G corresponding to the radius of depression of the key lever 12 and from there automatically recoils without impact with the platen. This is an inherent exigency of my invention referred to as the operative expedient by which type bars responding to slowly depressed keys part way down automatically recoil without interfering with responding type, hence the name automatic type bar recoil mechanism or automatic coupling. This operative expedient accomplished by a trippetbar 34 in the following manner:

The downward movement of the draw link 22 is limited by communicating with trippet bar 34 engaged at the incident of depression of the key lever 12, Fig. II, thereby pushing the thrust link 23 out of the saddle-backed a vibratory lever, means operatively connecting the vibratory lever and type bar comprisoperatively connected intermediately of its ends to the vibratory lever, and a forward thrust link operativcly con ecting the draw link and key lever, means actuating said connection. to return the type bar a ter the printing impact whilethe key lever is in depressed position, means restoring said connection to normal operative position upon release of the key lever.

2. In a typewriting machine, a type bar, a vibratory lever, means operatively connecting the vibratory lever and type bar comprising a backward pull link, a key lever, a

reversely breaking actuating coupling comprising a forward draw link curved downwardly and horizontally disposed at the side of the key lever operatively connected in termediately of its ends to the vibratory lever, and a forward thrust link operatively connecting the draw link and key lever for moving the type bar to printing point upon depression of the key lever, means reversely breaking said coupling after the printing impact to return the type bar to normal position while the key lever is in depressed position, means restoring said coupling to normal operative position upon release of the key lever.

3. In a typewriting machine, a'type bar, a vibratory lever, pivoted intermediately of its ends, means operatively connecting said vibratory lever and type bar comprising a backward pull link engaged horizontally, a key lever, a reversely breaking actuating coupling comprising a forward draw link curved downwardly and horizontally disposed at the side of the key lever operatively connected intermediately of its ends to the vibratory le ver, and a forward thrust link operatively connecting the draw link and key lever for moving the type bar to printing point upon.

depression of the key lever, means reversely breaking said coupling after printing impact of the type bar for returning the type bar to normal position while the key lever is in depressed position, means restoring said coupling to normal operative position upon release of the key lever.

a. In a typewriting machine key action, a type bar, a vibratory lever, means connecting the vibratory lever and type bar com prising a. backward pull link, a key lever, a reversely breaking actuating coupling comprising a forward draw link curved clownwardly and horizontally disposed at the side of'the key lever operatively connected interniediately of its ends to the vibratory lever,

and a forward thrust link operatively connecting the draw link and key lever, a normal operative position of the elements of said coupling being unfolded moving the type bar to printing point upon depression of the;

key lever, means folding said elements reversely breaking said coupling after the printing impact of the type bar, means restoring the folded elements of said coupling to normally unfolded position upon the release of the key lever. I

5. In a typewriting "machine key, a type bar, a vibratory lever, means operatively connecting the vibratory lever and type bar comprising a backward pull link, a key lever, a reversely breaking actuating coupling operatively connecting the vibratory lever and key lever comprising a forward draw link curved downwardly and horizontally disposed at'the side of the key lever operatively connected intermediately of its ends to the vibratory lever, and a forward thrust link operatively connecting the draw link and key lever, said draw link and thrust link being relatively long and short in length moving the type bar to printing point upon depression of the key lever. means reversely breaksaid coupling after printing impact of the type bar for returning the type bar to normal. position while key lever is in depressed position, means restoring said coupling to normal operative position upon release of the key lever.

6. in a typewriting machine, a type bar, a vibratory lever pivoted intermediately of its ends disposed vertically and its upper end thereof vibrating backwardly, means operatively connecting the vibratory lever and type bar comprising a backward pull link, a key lever, a reversely breaking actuating coupling comprising a forward draw link curved downwardly and horizontally disposed at the side of the key lever and actuating forwardly operatively connected intermediately' of its ends to the vibratory lever and a forward thrust link operatively connecting the vibratory lever and key lever moving the type bar to the printing point upon depression of the key lever, means reversely breaking said coupling after printing impact of the type bar for returning the type bar to normal position while key lever is in depressed position, means restoring said coupling to normal operative position upon release of the key lever.

7. In a typewriting machine, a type bar, a vibratory lever, means operatively connecting the vibratory lever and type bar comprising abackward pull link, a key lever, a reversely breaking actuating coupling operatively connecting the key lever and vibratory lever comprising a forward draw link curved downwardly, horizontally disposedrat the nected intermediately of its ends to the vibraafter printing impact of the type bar, means returning the type bar to normal position while key lever is in depressed position, means restoring said coupling to normal operative position upon release of the key lever.

8. In a type key action, a type bar, a vibratory lever pivoted intermediately of its ends, means operatively connecting the vibratory lever and type bar comprising a back ward pull link, a key lever, an upward angular projection intermediately the ends of the key lever, a reversely breaking actuating coupling operatively connecting the key lever and vibratory lever comprisinga forward draw link curved downwardly horizontally disposed at the side of the key lever actuating forwardly and pivoted to the lower end of said vibratory lever, and a forward thrust link pivoted to said upward angular projection of thekey lever moving the type bar to printing point upon depression of the key lever, means reversely breaking said coupling after printing impact of the type bar, means for the return of the type bar to normal position while key lever is in depressed position, means restoring said coupling to normal operative position upon release of the key lever.

9. In a key action for key-operating machines, a type bar, a vibratory lever, means operatively connecting the vibratory lever and type bar comprising a backward pull link, a key lever, an upward angular projection intermediately the ends of the key lever, a saddle-backed seat forwardly of said upward projection on the key lever, a reversely breaking actuating coupling operatively connecting the key lever and vibratory lever comprising a forward draw link curved downwardly horizontally disposed at the side of the key lever actuating forwardly, and a thrust link operatively connected to the upward angular projection of the key lever riding said saddle-backed seat bodily downward moving the type bar to printing point upon depression of key lever, means limiting the downward movement of the forward end of said thrust link tripping the latter off the saddle-backed seat reversely breaking said coupling after the printing impact of the type bar for returning the latter to normal position while key lever is in depressed posltion, means for restoring the thrust link to the saddle-backed seat upon release of the key lever.

10. In a type key mechanism, a type bar, a vibratory lever means operatively connecting the vibratory lever and type bar comprising a backward pull link, a key lever with an upward angular projection intermediately of its ends, a reversely breaking actuating coupling operatively connecting the key lever and vibratory lever comprising a forward draw link curved downwardly horizontally disposed at the side of the key lever, and a forward thrust link, a forward border pivot connecting the forward end of the draw link .and forward end of the thrust link above the key lever, a backward border pivot connecting the draw link and the lower end of said vibratory lever above the key lever, an interior pivot above a line drawn through the border pivots for connecting the rear end of the thrust link and upward angular projection of the key lever moving the type bar to printing point upon depression of the key lever, means actuating the interior pivot downward across a divert tension line between the forward border pivot and a backward border pivot reversely breaking said coupling after printing impact of the type bar for returning the type bar to normal position while the key lever is in depressed position, means restoring said coupling to operative position upon release of the key lever.

11. In a recoil mechanism for a type key, a type bar, an upwardly disposed vibratory lever, means operatively connecting the vibratory lever and type bar comprising a backward pull link, a key lever, a reversely breaking actuating coupling operatively connecting the key lever and vibratory lever comprising a thrust link, a draw link moving the type bar to printing point upon depression of the key lever, means reversely breaking said coupling after the printing impact of the type bar, a return spring supported by a bar in the rear of the machine, a fulcrum trip link connecting the rear end of said draw link and return spring returning the type bar to normal position while key lever is in depressed position, means restoring said mechanism to normal operative position upon release of the key lever.

12. In a typewriting machine, a type bar, a vibratory lever, means operatively connecting the vibratory lever and type bar comprising a backward pull link, a key lever, a reversely breaking actuating coupling operatively connecting the key lever and vibratory lever comprising a thrust link, a draw link moving the type bar to printing point upon depression of the key lever, a fulcrum link pivoted to the rear end of said draw link communicating with the backward edge of the vibratory lever reversely breaking said coupling after printing impact of the type bar returning the latter to normal position while the key lever is in depressed position, underside of said fulcrum trip link communicat ing with upward edge of key lever restoring said: coupling to normal operativeposition upon the release of the key lever.

13. In a typewriting machine, a type bar, a vibratory lever,v a pivot rod. supporting said vibratory lever intermediately the ends of? the latter, a supporting bar extending across the machine supporting said vibratory lever )lVOt rod means 0 erativel. connectinp the Y vibratory lever and type bar comprising a backward pull link, a key lever,- a reversely breaking actuating coupling operatively eonnectingt' the key lever and vibratory lever comprising a forward draw link curved downwardly horizontally disposed at the side of the key lever operatively connected interthe key lever.

Tmediatelyof its ends to the vibratorylever and a forward thrust link operatively con- J necting the draw link and keylever means reversely breaking: said coupling after print with the thrust link returning said coupling to normal operative position upon release of Signed at Fort Collins, in the county of Larimer and State of Colorado, this 19th day of March, A. D. 1927. a

ORVILLE U. DESHA.- 

